Related Stories

A transgender teacher who was fired in 2008 will have his discrimination complaint heard by an Alberta human rights tribunal, thanks to a recent ruling by Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Sheila Greckol.

Jan Buterman was fired from his substitute-teaching job after he informed the Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools about his sex change. The gender switch was deemed unacceptable by the school district.

The following year, Buterman filed an appeal but the school district successfully challenged the motion before the human rights commission, who dubbed the appeal without merit.

That decision was overturned by the chief of commission, who felt the case should indeed go before a tribunal. The school district countered by filing for a judicial review, and the case has been in limbo ever since.

“I am very happy that this decision went this way,” said Buterman. “These are complex issues with lots of layers and lots of things that are not easily evident — it’s all very multi-layered and complex.”

Buterman is now working on his master’s degree in policy studies at the University of Alberta. He says there is no exact date on when a tribunal will be held but says the hearing itself could take as along as 15 to 20 days.

“I don’t anticipate that I will be having a tribunal in just a few days, I expect it will probably be many, many weeks perhaps many months,” said Buterman.

Buterman admits he doesn’t have the resources to pay for a lawyer to represent him at the tribunal. Luckily, he is getting some help from a friend who has agreed to represent him, however, this means the tribunal will most likely be split up over a long period to give the lawyer the time needed to work the case.

“The legal help I’m getting is from someone who has been kind enough to choose to fight this with me,” said Buterman. “The help I’ve gotten has been because someone else has chosen to care about these issues and believes it’s important regardless of remuneration.”

In 2011, Buterman was offered a $78,000 settlement but the offer was deemed insensible, says Buterman.

“There was stuff in there like I would no longer speak of this in any way shape or form, that I would no longer refer to me having ever been fired, or that I would be responsible for anyone else who would ever speak about this,” said Buterman. “Ultimately it comes down to me not being comfortable agreeing to be silenced.”

Trevor.robb@sunmedia.ca

@SunTrevorRobb

As Advertised in the Edmonton SUN

Transgender teacher fired by the Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools will have discrimination complaint heard at an Alberta Human Rights tribunal

A transgender teacher who was fired in 2008 will have his discrimination complaint heard by an Alberta human rights tribunal, thanks to a recent ruling by Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Sheila Greckol.

Jan Buterman was fired from his substitute-teaching job after he informed the Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools about his sex change. The gender switch was deemed unacceptable by the school district.

The following year, Buterman filed an appeal but the school district successfully challenged the motion before the human rights commission, who dubbed the appeal without merit.

That decision was overturned by the chief of commission, who felt the case should indeed go before a tribunal. The school district countered by filing for a judicial review, and the case has been in limbo ever since.